The truth about cutting yourself while shaving – will it leave a scar

Regardless of how you wear your facial hair, there’s something all men have in common: post-shave nicks and cuts. Sometimes it seems that no matter how high quality the tools you use are, or how careful you are, you still get cuts.

It’s a prime example of Murphy’s Law in action. So what is a reasonable man to do? You can probably expect to continue getting cuts for the rest of your life–it sort of comes with the territory.

But what’s the truth about cutting yourself while shaving—will it leave a scar?

Is shaving making your skin uneven and unsightly?

How do cuts heal? Will they heal on their own, or does it take special creams, powders, and potions.

Why Do Cuts Bleed?

The moment you press the blade into your skin with a little too much force, your body begins to immediately go into trauma. Even if it’s just a minor cut, your cells begin freaking out.

The first thing that you notice is that it hurts, stings, and then intensifies. This is due to the nerve endings in your skin. They are the first to respond because they fire rapidly. Ever touch a hot stove? How long did it take before you felt it? 0.2 seconds, most likely.

Thanks, nerve endings.

As your body begins to tell your brain that you’ve suffered trauma, your platelets start to coagulate your blood. This is fancy science speak for the fact that your blood will begin to clot.

However, in respect to the topic at hand, some cuts from razors aren’t deep enough for the body to begin clotting blood on its own.

Yes, you read that right.

That means that you will need to do something about it externally. It’s not a coincidence that Glyder styptic balm will help you by supplying your body the anti-hemorrhagic properties that it needs to clot your blood. Once you use a styptic pencil, your cut is sealed up and will begin to heal!

Without an external product, your cut may bleed for a long time, and reopen before it fully heals.

So now that we’ve discovered what causes a cut to bleed, and why a styptic pencil is the best choice for necessary blood clotting, let’s dive into how to get rid of those nasty scars.

How to Reduce Shaving Scars

Shaving cuts are common, and while you can’t avoid them completely, you can certainly reduce their frequency by using proper shaving techniques.

Your anti-scar regimen begins before you even begin shaving. First, wash your face with warm water. This will soften the hairs, making them easier to cut. Then, if you have it, apply a pre-shave oil to leave skin feeling smooth and soft.

Afterwards, apply your shaving cream, by using a shaving brush. Using circular motions, vigorously work up your cream into lather on your face. This serves to both moisturize your face and protect it from cuts.

Shave with the grain—only go against the grain when necessary, or to get a very close shave. You should shave in short, swift, and gentle motions. Your blade should be cleaned with hot water both before and after shaving. Keep your razor sharp as well; dull blades can lead to chafing, cutting, scars, and potential infection.

Make sure that you aren’t shaving too quickly. It’s best to be swift, but not too fast. As the Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach from UCLA, John Wooden, said, “be quick, but don’t hurry.”

Avoid shaving the same area with multiple strokes. Aim for just a couple for each area of your face, arms, or whatever you shave. Repeating the same strokes can lead to a cut, or an ingrown hair–yikes!

After you’re all done, you should be using some type of aftershave cream to moisten the areas that may have been traumatized by shaving. This will also lessen the possibility.

How to Heal a Shaving Cut Without Scarring

Sometimes you can’t avoid cuts. But is it possible to really mangle one’s face while shaving?

Well, it depends.

In order to heal your cuts so that they do not leave scars, proper treatment of cuts is essential. Your first focus should be on closing the wound, which will help reduce the risk of infection.

Let’s first be clear about this – sticking potty paper to your face isn’t going to cut it. It’s unsanitary and it makes you look unprofessional. Instead, invest in a styptic pencil for less than the price of a large cappuccino and a bagel, you can be on your way to healing your cuts fast without looking like you dunked your head in a toilet. A styptic pencil is an anti hemorrhagic agent—that is, it closes wounds.

Styptic pencils are relatively inexpensive, extremely useful, and last a long time. Using them is easy. Simply wet the tip and apply to the cut area. The styptic stings a bit, but the pain is well worth the result. Within a few minutes, your cut should have closed. For deep cuts, make sure that you clean the wound out with warm water and soap. Rinse off any styptic residue with warm water, and apply Neosporin or another topical scar cream if you are worried about scarring. After the cut has healed, use some aloe vera to reduce the incidence of scars.

If you have a very serious cut, or a cut that is bleeding excessively, you should stop whatever you’re doing and focus your attention on stopping the bleeding. That’s first and foremost. If the injury is serious, you should seek out medical attention right away—especially if you don’t want to be left with a jarring scar.

How can you tell if your cut qualifies for as a medical emergency? First, read this handy guide.

If you don’t have time to check out that link, then here are some pointers for identifying emergency situations.

Bleeding that won’t stop.

Bandages that are overflowing with blood.

Clothing that is heavily soaked in blood.

A person, who is unconscious, disoriented, vomiting, or physically ill while bleeding.

If you observe any of the above call for emergency medical assistance right away!

If your cut requires emergency medical attention, Glyder isn’t going to cut it–ditch the styptic and opt for the stitches. Stitches can heal large wounds and help them to close up better than any other product. For minor cuts and nicks, styptics are your best bet.

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